Adjustable conducting roll apparatus

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for conducting a continuously formed casting through a portion of a continuous-casting machine which offers high resistance to movement of the casting therethrough. The apparatus has rolls carried by an inner frame movable in a fixed housing. One roll moves with the inner frame and the other moves independently thereof to close on and drive a casting therethrough whether the casting enters the housing above, below, or on the theoretical pass line.

White States Patent 1191 Wagner, Jr. ay 29, 1973 ADJUSTABLE CONDUCTING ROLL 3,263,284 8/1966 Orr ..l64/282 ux APPARATUS 3,543,555 12 1970 Baumann 164/282 x 3,257,691 6/1966 Krue er ..l64/282 X 1 lnvemori George Wagner, McDonald, 3,314,115 4 1967 Saun ers ..164/282 3,338,297 8/1967 Foldessy ..l64/282 x [73] Assignee: United States Steel Corporation,

Pittsburgh, Pa.

[22] Filed: Feb. 25, 1971 [21] Appl.No.: 118,799

Primary Examiner-J. Spencer Overholser Assistant Examiner-John S. Brown Attorney-Ralph H. Dougherty [5 7 ABSTRACT Apparatus for conducting a continuously formed casting through a portion of a continuous-casting machine which offers high resistance to movement of the casting therethrough. The apparatus has rolls carried by an inner frame movable in a fixed housing. One roll moves with the inner frame and the other moves independently thereof to close on and drive a casting therethrough whether the casting enters the housing above, below, or on the theoretical pass line.

1 1 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENIELI KKYQQIBB 3735,804

SHEET 0F 4 INVENTOR GEORGE J. WAGNER JR ANor/wy ADJUSTABLE CONDUCTING ROLL APPARATUS This invention relates to a drive roll apparatus for conducting a moving workpiece and more especially, to a novel apparatus for conducting a continuously formed casting through portions of a casting machine which offer high resistance to movement of the casting. These include (a) conducting the casting vertically into the bending roll assembly, (b) conducting the casting around a curve, especially in which the path of the casting has a constantly changing radius, and (c) conducting the casting in a horizontal direction after such casting has been bent from the vertical direction to the horizontal and straightened.

It iscustomary in the continuous casting of metals to provide an apparatus comprising a vertical tubular and open at the lower end for discharging a partially 'solidified casting. To facilitate handling and further processing of the casting, it travels through bending rolls which guide the casting along a curved path to the horizontal. When the casting reaches a horizontal direction, it is straightened by means such as straightening rolls, whereafter it is propelled by one or more sets of pinch rolls or driving rolls positioned in a roller line. The remaining rolls, of course, are idler rolls. Uneven temperatures along the casting or incorrect bending of the casting may cause the leading end to be above or below the pass line, which will cause the casting to resist entering pinch rolls, bending rolls, and straightening rolls. Since the casting is nearly solidified throughout, the end cannot be straightened by exerting the necessary pressure with the pinch rolls. Further, there is insufficient space for a sufficient number of the extremely large diameter rolls required to achieve proper bending.

conventionally, pinch rolls, bending rolls, and straightening rolls are so mounted that either the top roll may be raised or the bottom roll may be lowered to receive the leading end of the casting. The rolls are then closed to grip the casting and move it into the proper position. Massive auxiliary equipment is required to develop the forces required to achieve proper unbending of a casting. 1

' It is among the objects of the subject invention to provide a drive roll apparatus that is adjustable to the thickness of a casting passing therethrough, adjustable to the elevation of the leading end of a casting entering thereto, capable of opening to receive a casting and capable of being replaced as a drive roll pair assembly or as a single drive roll assembly.

FIG. I is a diagrammatic elevational view of a continuous-casting machine.

FIG. 2 is a partially sectioned elevational view of one embodiment of the invented apparatus as it would be in position A of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line III-III of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an end view of an alternative embodiment of the invented apparatus as it would be in position B of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is partially sectioned elevational vie taken along line V-V of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a partially sectioned plan view taken along line VI-VI of FIG. 5.

As shown in FIG. 1, a casting 10 is continuously formed in a mold l2, propelled downwardly by pinch rolls 14, bent by bending rolls 16 which may be driven mold open at the upper end for receiving molten metal but are usually idler rolls, and is straightened in straightener l7.

The drive roll apparatus of position A is shown in detail in FIGS. 2 and 3, and includes a roll housing 20 formed of opposed side frames 22 and 23 connected by base 25. A pair of vertical guides 27 are fixed to the inner surface of each side frame. A drive roll frame which is vertically movable within guides 27, comprises two side members 30, top member 31 and bottom member 32. Top drive roll 34 and bottom drive roll 35 are journaled in roll chocks or housings 37 and 38, respectively. Chocks 37 are vertically movable in the two side members 30, which side members 30 act as a second pair of opposed vertical guides. Chocks 38 are fixed to bottom member 32 of the drive roll frame. A pair of hydraulic cylinders 40 are mounted on top frame member 31 and contain reciprocable pistons and piston rods 41. Top roll chocks 37 are'connected to the rods 41 by pins 43 passing through clevises 44 on the chocks. The drive roll frame itself is supported by a pair of hydraulic cylinders 46 mounted on base 25. Cylinders 46 contain reciprocable pistons and piston rods 47 which are not connected to the frame. but merely bear against the bottom of member .32. Spindles 43 and 49, which are flexibly attached to drive means (not shown) impart the driving force to drive rolls 35. and 34, respectively.

In operation, when the leading end of a casting approaches the drive roll assembly, the top piston rod 41 is retracted causing the top roll to be raised. Ordinarily, the bottom roll will be left.at standard elevation, that is, the theoretical elevation of the bottom of thecasting. If the casting is straight, it will enter the drive rolls with clearance between its upper surface and the top.

roll. As the casting enters the rolls, the top piston rod is extended to force the top roll firmly against the casting. If the leading end of the casting is bent upwardly and approaches the drive'rolls at an elevation above the normal pass line, moving the top roll downwardly to contact the casting will cause the drive roll frame to rise in guide 27 until the top and bottom rolls have closed on the casting. The driving force will cause the bent casting to enter succeeding idler rolls which straighten the casting. The straightening action will force the frame to return to its original position atop the piston rod 47. Should the casting enterthe drive rolls at an elevation below the pass line, the bottom piston rod 47 is retracted to drop the 'drive roll frame.'

Again, the drive rolls are caused to contact the casting by actuating top cylinders 40. In this case the straightening action will cause the frame to move upwardly to its original position, at which time the bottom piston rod can be returned to its original position.

To change rolls or service the roll assembly, spindles 48 and 49 are removed from the rolls, then the drive frame is merely lifted off piston rods 47 and removed from guides 27.

As can readily be seen, either oversized or undersized castings are equally capable of being driven through the straightener by my invented apparatus, for the drive rolls may be opened to accommodate a thick casting as well as closed to accommodate a thin casting.

The alternative embodiment of my invented apparatus shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 is described as in position B in FIG. 1. Bending rolls 16 are normally idler rolls. However, in a bending unit in which the casting follows a circular path, the casting tends to resist bending and to follow its original path of travel. Drive rolls are required in the bending unit to overcome this straightening tendency and to force the casting to travel around the curve. In a bending unit in which the casting follows a path having a constantly changing radius of curvature, each pair of bending rolls is increasingly resistant to passage of the casting. It therefore becomes necessary to include driven rolls in this type of bending roll cluster to overcome this resistance.

In this embodiment, a fixed frame or housing 50 forms a pair of opposed, recessed guides or tracks 51. A pair of guides 53 are movable in tracks 51. A doubleacting hydraulic cylinder 54 having a piston rod 55 is attached to one end of each guide 53 through clevis 56 and pin 57. The end of piston rod 55 is attached to roll housing support 59 by pins 60. The roll housing support is movable in guides 53 as best shown in FIG. 6. A roll assembly includes drive roll 65 journaled in roll chocks 67 and chock plate 68 to which the chocks are bolted. Pins 70, having keyways 71 therein, are positioned in holes in support 59 and chock plate 68. The roll assembly is detachably fixed to support 59 by keys 72 inserted in the keyways 71. Each chock carries a chock aligning flange 73 which engages guides 53. The end of guides 53 opposite the end to which cylinder 54 is attached carries a fixed roll assembly. This roll assembly includes drive roll 75 journaled in roll chocks 77 and chock plates 78 to which the chocks are bolted. Pins 80 are threaded at one end to fit into the end of guides 53 and have keyways 81 in their other end. After chock plates 78 have been positioned over pins 80, keys 82 are inserted in the keyways to detachably fix the roll assembly to the ends of guides 53. Each chock 77 has a chock aligning flange 84 which engages guide 53 and prevents forces imparted by the casting from causing the roll chocks to twist about plates 78. Spindles 88 and 89, which are flexibly connected to drive means (not shown), impart the driving force to drive rolls 65 and 75, respectively. A stop or seat 90 connected to frame 50 supports roll housing support 59 when there is no casting between the rolls.

In operation, when a casting'approaches the drive roll assembly, piston rod 55 is in the retracted position. As roll housing support 59 is resting on seat 90, retraction of the piston rods has caused movement ofguides 53 upward from seat 90. Roll 75, being a portion of the roll assembly which is fixed to the ends of guides 53, thereupon moves apart from roll 65. When the casting enters the gap between the rolls, piston rod 55 is extended. This causes movement of guides 53 and roll 75 downwardly toward the casting until roll 75 contacts the surface of the casting at which time piston rod 55 continues to be extended raising roll 65 off seat 90 until the latter roll contacts the surface of the casting. This results in a clamping action of the rolls on the casting which creates the friction necessary to drive the casting.

When one or both rolls are to be changed, spindle 88 or 89 is removed from its associated drive roll as required. Removal of key 72 or 82 disengages the respective roll assembly from the apparatus. The desired roll assembly or assemblies can then be pulled out of guides 53.

The invented drive roll apparatus can be used as a vertical drive or main drive moving a casting downwardly out of a continuous-casting mod as well as in a bending roll apparatus, a straightener, or a horizontal drive. When the apparatus is used to drive a casting vertically, frame 50 will include a removable stop to prevent the movement of guides 53 out of tracks 51 at the end away from stop 90.

As can readily be seen by the foregoing, I have invented a drive roll assembly that can open to admit a thick casting, close to drive a thick or thin casting, and is capable of adjusting to the actual location or elevation of the casting as it passes through the apparatus.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for conducting a continuously formed casting through a portion of a continuous-casting machine which offers high resistance to movement of the casting therethrough comprising,

a housing,

a first pair of opposed tracks fixed to said housing,

a second pair of opposed tracks longitudinally movable in said first pair of opposed tracks,

a first pair of roll housings carried by said movable tracks and movable therewith,

a first roll journalled in said first pair of roll housings,

a second pair of roll housings movable in said movable tracks, a second roll journalled in said second pair of roll housings,

means for moving said movable tracks in said fixed tracks, and said second pair of roll housings in said movable tracks, and

drive means removably attached to said first roll and said second roll.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said means comprises a first fluid pressure cylinder connected to said first-named housing and carrying said movable tracks, and a second fluid pressure cylinder connected to said movable tracks and to said second pair of roll housings.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said means comprises a fluid pressure cylinder connected to said second pair of roll housings and to said movable tracks, and a stop connected to said first-named housing whereby movement of said second roll is limited.

4. An adjustable drive roll pair assembly comprising,

a housing a pair of opposed guides fixed to said housing,

a frame engaging and longitudinally movable in said guides,

a first pair of roll housings connected to the top of said frame and movable in said frame,

a second pair of roll housings fixed to said frame,

a pair of rolls journaled in the respective pairs of roll housings,

means attached to said frame and said first pair of roll housings for moving said first pair of roll housings in said frame,

means connected to said first-named housing and carrying said frame for moving said frame in said guides, and

drive means removably attached to said rolls.

5. An adjustable drive roll pair assembly as defined in claim 4 in which said first-named means is a fluid pressure cylinder having an associated piston and piston rod.

6. An adjustable drive roll pair assembly as defined in claim 4 in which said second-named means is a fluid pressure cylinder having an associated piston and piston rod.

7. An adjustable guide roll pair assembly as defined in claim 4 in which said assembly is vertically adjustable.

8. An adjustable drive .roll pair assembly comprising:

a housing;

a pair of opposed tracks fixed to said housing;

a pair of opposed guides engaging said housing and movable in said opposed tracks;

a first pair of roll housings fixed to the top of said opposed guides and movable therewith;

a first drive roll journaled in said first pair of roll housings,

a roll housing support movable in said guides;

a second pair of roll housings fixed to said roll housing support;

a second drive roll journaled in said second pair of roll housings,

means connected to said guides and to said roll housing support for moving said roll housing support with respect to said guides; and v a stop connected to said housing which limits the movement of said roll housing support, and provides support for the drive roll pair assembly prior to entry of a workpiece between said first roll and' said second roll.

9. An adjustable drive roll pair assembly as defined in claim 8 in which said second pair of roll housings are fixed to said roll housing support by a pin having a slotted hole therethrough and an interfitting key.

10. An adjustable drive roll pair assembly as defined in claim 8 including a second roll housing support which carries said first pair of roll housings.

11. An adjustable drive roll pair assembly as defined in claim 10 including:

a pair of pins, one fixed 'to the top of each of said opposed guides and having a slotted hole therethrough, said second roll housing support being positioned over said pins; and

a pair of keys, one of which is removably inserted in each slotted hole in said pins, whereby said first pair of roll housings is fixed to the top said opposed guides. 

1. Apparatus for conducting a continuously formed casting through a portion of a continuous-casting machine which offers high resistance to movement of the casting therethrough comprising, a housing, a first pair of opposed tracks fixed to said housing, a second pair of opposed tracks longitudinally movable in said first pair of opposed tracks, a first pair of roll housings carried by said movable tracks and movable therewith, a first roll journalled in said first pair of roll housings, a second pair of roll housings movable in said movable tracks, a second roll journalled in said second pair of roll housings, means for moving said movable tracks in said fixed tracks, and said second pair of roll housings in said movable tracks, and drive means removably attached to said first roll and said second roll.
 2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said means comprises a first fluid pressure cylinder connected to said first-named housing and carrying said movable tracks, and a second fluid pressure cylinder connected to said movable tracks and to said second pair of roll housings.
 3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said means comprises a fluid pressure cylinder connected to said second pair of roll housings and to said movable tracks, and a stop connected to said first-named housing whereby movement of said second roll is limited.
 4. An adjustable drive roll pair assembly comprising, a housing a pair of opposed guides fixed to said housing, a frame engaging and longitudinally movable in said guides, a first pair of roll housings connected to the top of said frame and movable in said frame, a second pair of roll housings fixed to said frame, a pair of rolls journaled in the respective pairs of roll housings, means attached to said frame and said first pair of roll housings for moving said first pair of roll housings in said frame, means connected to said first-named housing and carrying said frame for moving said frame in said guides, and drive means removably attached to said rolls.
 5. An adjustable drive roll pair assembly as defined in claim 4 in which said first-named means is a fluid pressure cylinder having an associated piston and piston rod.
 6. An adjustable drive roll pair assembly as defined in claim 4 in which said second-named means is a fluid pressure cylinder having an associated piston and piston rod.
 7. An adjustable guide roll pair assembly as defined in claim 4 in which said assembly is vertically adjustable.
 8. An adjustable drive roll pair assembly comprising: a housing; a pair of opposed tracks fixed to said housing; a pair of opposed guides engaging said housing and movable in said opposed tracks; a first pair of roll housings fixed to the top of said opposed guides and movable therewith; a first drive roll journaled in said first pair of roll housings, a roll housing support movable in said guides; a second pair of roll housings fixed to said roll housing support; a second drive roll journaled in said second pair of roll housings, means connected to said guides and to said roll housing support for moving said roll housing support with respect to said guides; and a stop connected to said housing which limits the movement of said roll housing support, and provides support for the drive roll pair assembly prior to entry of a workpiece between said first roll and said second roll.
 9. An adjustable drive roll pair assembly as defined in claim 8 in which said second pair of roll housings are fixed to said roll housing support by a pin having a slotted hole therethrough and an interfitting key.
 10. An adjustable drive roll pair assembly as defined in claim 8 including a second roll housing support which carries said first pair of roll housings.
 11. An adjustable drive roll pair assembly as defined in claim 10 including: a pair of pins, one fixed to the top of each of said opposed guides and having a slotted hole therethrough, said second roll housing support being positioned over said pins; and a pair of keys, one of which is removably inserted in each slotted hole in said pins, whereby said first pair of roll housings is fixed to the top said opposed guides. 